Traditional Knowledge of Jahai Tribeat Kampung Semelor, Gerik, Perak
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Traditional Knowledge of Jahai Tribeat Kampung Semelor, Gerik, Perak Soijah Likin1, Nazarudin Zainun2 and Faridah Binti Jaafar 3 1 Anthropology & Sociology Section, School of Distance Education, UniversitiSains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia 2 History Section, School of Humanities, UniversitiSains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia 3 Political Science Section, School of Distance Education, UniversitiSains Malaysia, 11800, Penang, Malaysia Keywords: Traditional knowledge, Jahai tribe, taboo Abstract: Values, norms, taboos are things that are created in the community as a means to regulate and social control in order to live in harmony and stability. Traditional knowledge is the power of the invisible but can force people to live with by the rules, taboos, values, norms set by society. Similarly, in the lives of Jahai's tribe which is practically a variety of taboo in many aspects of life. Traditional knowledge refers to the knowledge and practices of indigenous and local communities that have developed over centuries and are traditionally transferred from elders to young people in concrete working and life situations. Traditional knowledge is dynamic and it can be transferred and expressed orally, through stories, legends, rituals, songs, and laws. 1 INTRODUCTION Proto-Malay. Are believed to have migrated to Southeast Asia since 60,000 years ago with five Aboriginal identity is the first communities that other Negrito tribe in Malaysia have the physical inhabit Tanah Melayu (Benjamin, 1976). The results characteristics of the different categories of of archaeological research carried out in the Eastern Bumiputera Malaysia. and Northern Peninsula represents the Orang Asli of Most people Jahai have a small number of family Peninsular Malaysia has been inhabited since the 8th members of three to six people. Aborigines are the century BC, which is about 10 thousand years ago indigenous people of the Jahai Negrito group. (Khairul Hisham and Kamarudin Ngah Ibrahim, Most of them inhabit the interior, particularly in 2008). In Malaysia, The Orang Asli can be divided the Northeast and the West Kelantan Perak (Amran into three groups – the Semang (or Negrito), the Kasimin, 1993). The location of their placement is in Senoi, and the Proto-Malay (or Aboriginal Malay). Banun, Sungai Tiang and coastal Temenggor Dam in This division is mostly sociological, as the groups Perak and more concentrated in around Kampung differ linguistically, but possess similar cultural Sungai Rual Jeli, Hulu Kelantan (Jabatan Hal Ehwal characteristics. Every groups divided into several Orang Asli, 2009). The Jahai appearance person has tribe, namely Negrito (Kensiu, Kentaq, Lanoh, Jahai, in common with the people of Ethiopia, the African Mendriq, Bateq), Senoi (Temiar, Semai, Memoq Negro, Negrito tribe in the Andaman Islands, Aeta Give Che Man, Jah Hut, Mah Meri), Proto-Malay Philippines. (Temuan, Semelai, Jakun , Kanaq, Kuala, Seletar Their modest home situation is due to the (Jabatan Hal Ehwal Orang Asli, 2009). The Orang practice of those who love the nomadic, especially Asli can be divided into three groups – the Semang on death and disaster relief purposes other than for (or Negrito), the Senoi, and the Proto-Malay (or food needs in new areas. However, like other Aboriginal Malay). This division is mostly indigenous communities, they now have their own sociological, as the groups differ linguistically, but placement and taken care of all aspects of life possess similar cultural characteristics. through increased assistance from the government. Jahai community is one of the Negritos little (Http://www.jakoa.gov.my/orang-asli/info-orang- compared with other tribes such as the Senoi and asli/pengenalan-orang-asli/) 676 Likin, S., Zainun, N. and Binti Jaafar, F. Traditional Knowledge of Jahai Tribe at Kampung Semelor, Gerik, Perak. DOI: 10.5220/0008892306760680 In Proceedings of the 7th International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research (ICMR 2018) - , pages 676-680 ISBN: 978-989-758-437-4 Copyright c 2020 by SCITEPRESS – Science and Technology Publications, Lda. All rights reserved Traditional Knowledge of Jahai Tribe at Kampung Semelor, Gerik, Perak Traditional knowledge is the result of an The Orang Aslihave knowledge and adaptation of a community that comes from life understanding of their environment and ecosystems experiences are communicated from one generation and ways how to use and manage them. Often this to another. So local knowledge is the local people knowledge is very particularly and detailed. In used to survive in an environment that integrates recent years traditional knowledge has been with the system of beliefs, norms, culture, and increasingly considered alongside scientific tradition and is expressed in the myth that adopted knowledge within the context of research and for long periods of time. The regeneration of conservation efforts related to Arctic peoples and traditional knowledge is done through oral tradition nature. (folklore) and literary works. Traditional knowledge has an important role to ensure the stability of society. Traditional knowledge is any guide, guidelines, norms, values 2 METHODOLOGY for members of the public. Traditional knowledge is a social fact of Jahai’s tribe. The concept of social fact has been introduced in the 19th century by the The data about taboos Jahai’s tribe obtained using the technique of the interview structure. According French sociologist Emile Durkheim called. Social to Burn (1995), Merriem (1998) and Yin (1995) the facts are interpreted as a social phenomenon that abstracts e.g. legal, social structure, customs and use of design research, case studies using qualitative data is suitable if a study involving the observation habits, values, norms, language, religion, and the of an individual or unit, a group of people, a family, rules of life that have some power to enforce that rule exists in people's lives beyond the capabilities a class, a school, a community, or cultural events. A case study should focus on a subject that has criteria of the individual. In the book Rules of Sociological Method, Durkheim explains "social fact is every or characteristics to be studied. This means that a way of acting, whether fixed or not, and feel that review of case studies, mostly about individuals or events in the cultural environment and their there are outside forces as well as the individual and his capacity as the pattern formed in the society. environment (Burn, 1995). Merriem (1998) stated the case studies are used Since human beings are born indirectly it is to enhance a thorough understanding of the subject required to act in accordance with the social environment in which he was educated and very studied, focusing on aspects of the process rather than output, rather than concerned with the difficult for him to break away from the rule. And discovery of a theory or finding confirmation. feel that there are outside forces as well as the individual and his capacity as the pattern formed in According to Yin (1995) is a case study related to the research strategy that focuses on the question of the society. Since human beings are born indirectly 'who', 'why' or 'what'. This means that the case it is required to act in accordance with the social environment in which he was educated and very studies enable comprehensive or holistic research to know the features of a real-life event. To get a difficult for him to break away from the rule. So complete picture, a case study must collect data from when a person does other than what is expected by society, then it will get corrective action, ridicule, various sources to enable an understanding of the research (Burn, 1995). scorn, even got a penalty. In addition, the social fact that has 3 properties: external, public (general), and force (coercion) (George Ritzer, 2012). 1. External means these facts are beyond one's 3 THEORY considerations and have been there just long before humans existed in the world. Traditional knowledge refers to the knowledge and 2. Coercive (Force) Social facts have the strength practices of indigenous and local communities that to push and force individuals to accept and have developed over centuries and are traditionally implement it. In a very real social fact that the transferred from elders to young people in concrete individual is forced, guided, reassured, working and life situations. Traditional knowledge is encouraged in some way affected by various dynamic and it can be transferred and expressed types of social facts in their social orally, through stories, legends, rituals, songs and environment. laws. It can also be preserved in artifacts handed 3. Spread / general (General) Social facts are from father to son or mother to daughter. common or widely dispersed in society. In other words, the social fact is the common 677 ICMR 2018 - International Conference on Multidisciplinary Research property and not the individual nature of the In rural communities in developing countries, locally individual. From the above characteristics, can occurring species are relied on for many - sometimes be underlined that social facts point to all - foods, medicines, fuel, building materials and something that exists outside individuals other products. Equally, peoples’ knowledge and requiring them to follow the customs, manners, perceptions of the environment, and their and respect for the common procedures relationships with it, are often important elements of performed as a member of society and relations cultural identity. between